QPR to banish past derby day misery in Cottagers clash
Published:
Lee Gormley | February 11, 2016
QPR v Fulham
- Championship
- Saturday, February 12th
- Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
- Loftus Road, London
- Live on Sky Sports 1
QPR seek west London revenge over Fulham
Loftus Road will play host to Saturday’s afternoon west London derby, as QPR welcome local rivals Fulham for their latest Championship clash, with the home side seeking revenge for their reverse fixture thumping last September.
The R’s were on the receiving end of a 4-0 hammering at Craven Cottage last time the two capital clubs collided, when Ross McCormack bagged a double, while promising frontman Moussa Dembele also chipped in to earn a comfortable three points.
Much has changed from that emphatic result though, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink now in charge of a 13th-placed QPR, and they are 10/3 with Coral to win and both teams scoring on home soil, while Fulham arrive at 5/2 for another derby day victory.
Cairney coy on another Rangers rout
Despite having taken their opponents apart in the reverse encounter, Fulham have dropped to a daunting 19th position in the second tier standings, just four points adrift of safety after a hapless run of form.
Such a streak has seen Tom Cairney play down any chances of another dominant result over QPR at Loftus Road, though a repeat 4-0 away triumph is 90/1 to occur.
“That night, it was our best overall performance over 90 minutes this season,” stated Cairney.
“Whether we can go do it again in that way, I don’t know. It might be hard to do is as easy as it felt that night. The energy was there, and it felt like we had an extra man on the pitch.”
Both former R’s hitman Charlie Austin and Jamie Mackie had both limped off within seconds of each other in that thrashing as the eventual losers went 3-0 down, and Cairney admits the Cottagers wont be thinking of that previous success, as they aim to stay up this term.
“It was one of those great nights, but they won’t be thinking about that performance. It’s just different games. That said, we can go there and win,” added the midfielder, who is 5/1 to strike anytime.
“I wouldn’t say we are going to get relegated, but we’ve got to get a few good results so we can look up and not look down. I believe we’re going to climb but I wouldn’t have thought we’d be where we are.”
Perfect time for Washington to open account
Conor Washington was the striker chosen by QPR to fill the boots of now departed forward Austin, after arriving from Peterborough during the January transfer window, and he is 5/4 to open his account for his new employers anytime.
Meanwhile, fellow attacker Matt Phillips dispatched the winner in the recent 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town and he is 7/4 to follow that goal up with another anytime.
For Slavisa Jokanovic’s visitors, leading marksman McCormack is 8/1 to bag another brace or more against their fierce rivals, while sought-after starlet Dembele is 13/2 to open proceedings, having done so after just two minutes of action in the reverse fixture last year.
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Coral’s top tip: Back Conor Washington to score anytime for QPR at 5/4.
